Course Descriptions

As of 3/3/2015 5:25:07 AM

Nuts /Bolts of Estate Planning

Nuts and Bolts of Estate Planning

The only certainties in life, they say, are death and taxes. Estate planning addresses both. Regardless of the area of law you decide to pursue, a basic understanding of estate planning will prove invaluable in developing client relationships.

This course will provide students with a basic overview of the applicable laws, including the law of intestacy, wills, trusts, joint ownership, beneficiary designations, planning for incapacity, and a high level introduction to federal estate and gift tax. The class sessions will include discussion and lectures on the substantive law, working with clients, and the structure and drafting of basic estate planning devices, including wills and trusts. We will use a case study approach involving hypothetical clients ranging from unmarried young adults, to married and unmarried couples, with and without children, to elderly adults. Emphasis will be on learning to work with clients and writing exercises involving the drafting of documents to achieve client objectives.